Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra features stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework, or in another period.

Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.

Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.

Follow-up: Students can write an 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org] for possible publication.

Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.

Story: After a Decade, Blair Hands British Premiership to Brown, 06/27/07
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june07/brown_6-27.html

Initiating Questions:

1. What role does the prime minister have in British politics?

2. What do you know about former Prime Minister Tony Blair?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. Why did Gordon Brown not need to win a popular vote from the British people?

Because Tony Blair handed over the premiership in a non-election year, Brown did not need to win a vote from the British people. Instead, he secured support last month from his fellow Labour members -- the liberal party currently in control of Parliament -- ensuring they would install him in the role.

2. How did Blair and Brown form their political alliance?

The decision dates back to an alleged dinner meeting between Blair and Brown in 1994, the Financial Times reported, where the two possible political foes within the Labour Party agreed the more popular Blair would run for office first, serve into his second term, and then hand over power to Brown.

3. Why did Blair lose support of the British people?

Blair's unpopular support of the U.S. decision to invade Iraq and his deployment of thousands of troops to the war-torn region turned much of British public against him.

4. What is Brown's policy towards the Iraq war?

Brown has thus far failed to outline a clear policy on Iraq, largely dodging questions about the continued British role in the region -- leaving open how he may tackle an issue experts say could make or break his political future.

5. Will Brown continue a close alliance with President Bush?

Brown has not said to what degree he would continue Blair's friendship with President Bush, stating only that the relationship between the British prime minister and the American president is important.

6. What did Brown do as Blair's former economic minister?

Brown is heralded for stabilizing the British economy despite its recent downturn. Under Brown, unemployment rates dropped to record lows, inflation was kept at bay, and the economy grew proportionately faster than the rest of the European Union, making his decision to keep the British pound instead of switching to the euro currency seem particularly shrewd.

7. What changes may Brown try to make to the National Heath Service?

For his domestic agenda, Brown is likely to use the Labour Party's backing to better the National Health Service, looking to improve long-term care and balance the budget of the perennially criticized government-run health program.

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. Why might the British people be skeptical of Brown as he assumes the premiership? Would an election have helped the transition?

2. Do you believe Brown should remove British troops from Iraq? What are some potential pros and cons for Brown if he decides to stop fighting the Iraq war?

3. Why has the Conservative party leader David Cameron said this election-less transition violates political protocol? Typically, how is a British prime minister chosen?

4. Research Blair's career as prime minister. What did he accomplish during his ten years in office? What problems did he encounter? What do you think his legacy will be?

Write a 300-500 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.